LC-HRMS Profiling and Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Activities of Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd

Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd is a profoundly used traditional medicinal plant in Asia. Previous studies conducted in this plant are more confined to extract level. Even though bioassay-based studies indicated the true therapeutic potential of this plant, compound annotation was not performed extensively. This research is aimed at assessing the bioactivity of different solvent extracts of the plant followed by annotation of its phytoconstituents. Liquid chromatography equipped with high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) is deployed for the identification of secondary metabolites in various crude extracts. On activity level, its ethanolic extract showed the highest inhibition towards alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase with an IC50 of 67.8 +/- 1 mu g/mL and 10.3 +/- 0.1 mu g/mL respectively, inspected through the substrate-based method. On the other hand, the plant extract showed an antioxidant activity of 23.76 +/- 1.57 mu g/mL, measured through radical scavenging activity. Similarly, ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts of A. catechu showed significant inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus with a zone of inhibition (ZoI) of 13 and 14 mm, respectively. With the LC-HRMS-based dereplication strategy, we have identified 28 secondary metabolites belonging to flavonoid and phenolic categories. Identification of these metabolites from A. catechu and its biological implication also support the community-based usage of this plant and its medicinal value.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the bioactivity of different solvent extracts of Acacia catechu and annotated its phytoconstituents using LC-HRMS technology. The ethanolic extract exhibited the highest inhibition towards alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase, along with strong antioxidant activity and inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus. LC-HRMS-based dereplication strategy identified 28 secondary metabolites from A. catechu, supporting its traditional medicinal usage.